History

Kanto

Ash's Tauros stampeding

Ash spent some time in the Safari Zone in the episode EP035. He was attempting to catch as many Pokémon as possible, though all he ended up with were thirty Tauros as they always ran in front of his Safari Balls when he tried to make a catch. At the end of Ash's adventures in the Safari Zone, all thirty Tauros were sent to Professor Oak's laboratory. This episode has not been aired outside of Japan, Greater China and South Korea due to the firearms being a plot point. The dub merely mentions in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral that Ash caught the Tauros in the Safari Zone without the captures ever being depicted.

The Tauros' main characteristic is stampeding. This means that the lab is a good place for them, as there is plenty of space to run around. They have proved useful at the laboratory, stampeding to wake up Ash's Snorlax in times of crisis. However, the stampeding has caused mishaps. The first time Ash returned to Pallet Town in Showdown at the Po-ké Corral, they stampeded through a fence and sent Team Rocket blasting off.

Later, they stampeded through the lab, leaving a mess and a large hole in the wall.

Ash's Tauros, overjoyed at being picked for the Orange Island Championship

After an initial failure when hit with Gengar's Confuse Ray, Tauros went up against Drake's Venusaur. His Fissure and Take Down attacks caused him to become lodged in the now sandy field, and he was helpless when Venusaur, who he had managed to hurl into the air, hit him with Solar Beam. However, this freed him from the sand, and he defeated Venusaur with a very powerful Take Down. He later fought Drake's Dragonite, managing to stand firm and catch Dragonite's Body Slam on his horns; Ash remembered the sand's cushioning effect and used it to his advantage this time. Tauros then slammed Dragonite into the ground, but Dragonite recovered and took down Tauros with a Thunder. His efforts allowed Pikachu to land the final blow and win Ash the tournament.

Johto

Ash and Tauros, the Tauros Champions

Tauros was used again in early Johto during the Pokémon Swap Meet, in Tricks of the Trade. One of the events was a Tauros-battling competition, which Ash entered after exchanging Heracross for Tauros. Ash then sprinted into the stadium to challenge Fernando, the undefeated champion with ten straight wins. Ash's Tauros locks horns with Fernando's, and manages to overpower his with a Take Down that threw Fernando's Tauros into the arena wall and knock him out, winning Ash the tournament. Ash then received multiple offers to trade Tauros for an Onix, Nidoqueen and a Rhyhorn, as well as Benny's Wobbuffet. However, he explained that he wasn't there to trade; and sent Tauros back to Professor Oak in the next episode, The Fire-ing Squad!.

Ash later used a Tauros in the Silver Conference, in The Ties That Bind. He fought Gary's Nidoqueen. managing to push through the rocks thrown by Rock Smash and charge with a Horn Attack. Nidoqueen blocked Tauros by catching his horns and then launched a Hyper Beam, easily knocking Tauros out of the match.

In the special episodes, they made a cameo appearance telling the other Pokémon about Cassidy and Butch.

On Ash's return from Hoenn in The Right Place and the Right Mime, the Tauros were seen running towards him with his other Pokémon. However, they were so pleased to see him that they got carried away and stampeded off with Ash on their backs, and Ash had to be retrieved by his Bayleef before he could be reunited with the other Pokémon.

After training the next day (and being so spooked by a Beedrill's Twineedle that he managed to hurl Ash, Anabel, Pikachu and Corphish flying into a lake), he was used in the rematch in Second Time's the Charm. This time, he was used against Metagross, using Horn Attack to throw Metagross into the air. Metagross's Hyper Beam was countered by Double Team, but the beam slashed through all of the duplicates and hit Tauros. He quickly recovered and struck the recharging Metagross hard. His final Take Down was countered by Meteor Mash, taking out both Pokémon.

They were reunited with Ash in The Dream Continues!, when Ash returned to the lab. In greeting, they trampled him, much to the surprise of Alexa. Later on, they and the rest of Ash's Pokémon posed in a group photo with him.

Personality and characteristics

Ash's Tauros demonstrating his strength by hefting the 460lb (210kg) Dragonite on his horns

Due to the large number of Tauros, it is impossible to determine each and every one's personality. However, the Tauros seem to share a very enthusiastic personality, and a love of exercise. In terms of battling, despite the very small move set available during most of their screen time, they are all extremely strong, capable of throwing a Metagross, Dragonite, Tauros, and Venusaur into the air from a standing position, using only their neck muscles.

Trivia

Brock caught a Tauros at the same time that Ash caught his first Tauros. Because of this, some believe that Brock should own a Tauros, and the writers forgot about it in subsequent episodes. However, Brock caught him using one of Ash's Safari Balls, and therefore it is counted as one of the thirty belonging to Ash.

Despite the Tauros all being captured in green Safari Balls, they all have regular Poké Balls when Ash calls them into battle.

It has never been revealed whether Ash uses the same Tauros whenever one of them is transferred to him or if Professor Oak simply sends him a random one each time. However, it is likely that the one Ash uses is the leader of the herd.

Ash's Tauros are the only Pokémon belonging to a main character to be caught in a banned episode.

Ash was offered a Rhyhorn in exchange for his Tauros after winning the Tauros battling competition. Ash had tried to capture a Rhyhorn in the Safari Zone, but a Tauros ran past and was captured instead. Despite this, Ash chooses to keep his Tauros.

In Pokémon Yellow, which is based on the anime series, Tauros's encounter rate at the Safari Zone is 10%, whereas in Red, Blue, FireRed, and LeafGreen, its encounter rate is only 1% or 4%, depending on the area. Making Tauros more common in the anime-based game may be a reference to Ash's Tauros.